More Than They Bargained For
by MaryChapel
Summary: Follow the Swallows, Amazons and D's in a new adventure that takes them to a place where their secret wishes come true...with a twist! After all, wishes always have a cost...and unseen consequences.
1. If Wishes Were Fishes

Chapter One: "If Wishes Were Fishes..."

" _...And thus it was that Robin Hood became outlawed; thus a band of merry companions gathered about him, and thus he gained his right-hand man, Little John; and so the prologue ends. And now I will tell how the Sheriff of Nottingham three times sought to take Robin Hood, and how he failed each time."_

Dot's sweet voice died away on the light breeze as she shut _The Merry Adventures of Robin Hood._ "What do you think?" she asked tentatively.

"You read quite well," Susan offered as she dried the last of the plates. _Mmm, it's getting dark. Almost time for bed...even thought it IS the first day we all came back to Wild Cat...I might let them stay up a little while longer..._

"Better than any of the rest of us," chimed Peggy, sitting up. "Well, Titty is close," she added as Bridget gave her the stink eye.

" _I_ think it was a good scrap between the two, but Robin's a bit fussy about killing," Nancy replied, lolling next to the fire.

John looked up from his Ship's Log. "You might think differently, if you had to kill someone," he said dryly.

Nancy turned pink and said nothing. Dick scribbled in his exercise book, pushing his spectacles up as he wrote. Bridget snuggled next to John, who was her favorite sibling.

Titty broke the short silence by saying, "Robin Hood always reminds me of "The Highwayman" poem. Have you heard it, Dot?"

Dick looked up suddenly. "That poem? Dot's memorized it. I should know," he added.

Roger, who had just ran up from checking on _Swallow,_ snickered. "You mean you had to listen to the rotten thing fifty million times as she memorized it," he said, pulling Titty's braid and throwing himself down by the fire.

Titty and Dot sighed as one. "Brothers," Titty said, with worlds of meaning behind it.

Bridget pulled on John's hand. "Won't you whittle something for me?" she asked plaintively. "This is boooring!"

John shut his Ship's Log. "All right, Bridgie, I'll work on that little boat for you. It's in my tent. Would you get it?"

"I didn't know you whittled, John," Nancy said.

"Started last term when I realized that Titty's birthday was coming up and I couldn't buy her a present," John explained. "Thank you, Bridgie."

He took the rough little boat and began to trim the hull. Susan smiled and brought out a bit of sewing.

"Here's your sail, Bridgie. I just need to finish hemming it."

Bridget squeaked with joy and crawled over to hug Susan. Rodger nodded toward the boat. "I'll paint the name you choose for her on her side with my new paint," he offered.

"And I have a story about your voyages in her for you when you're ready," Titty added.

"Fine piece of work," said Dick, casting a critical eye over it.

"What's her name?" Nancy threw in.

Bridget, half shy, half proud, held on to Susan's skirt as she answered Nancy "Her name is going to be _Bluebird,_ Captain Bridget Walker. John is the First Mate."

Nancy laughed, causing Bridget to scowl and retreat behind Susan. Peggy rolled over so that the Walkers wouldn't see her smile.

Dot, however, nodded gravely. "You'll make a fine captain, Bridget."

This earned her a large smile from Bridget, who came over to sit next to her.

Susan finished the sail. "There, that's done. Dick, you're the handiest with your fingers; would you get this on the boat?"

Dick jumped. "Er, ah, yes, of course!"

SA&D-SA&D-SA&D

Deep twilight settled over the lake as Dick finished fixing the inner workings of the _Bluebird_ to his and Bridget's satisfaction. Peggy and Susan quietly discussed food and clothes, with an occasional sarcastic comment by Nancy intruding on their conversation. Dot wove a quiet story for Bridget, to which John was listening as well. He also made suggestions to Dick now and again. Titty sat apart from the others, lost in her own little world.

All too soon, Susan began making those sort of noises one makes when she needs to get a bunch of chicks in the coop. John set the now finished boat in Bridget's hands as Dot concluded "...and so the good ship _Bluebird_ sailed into the sunset, on route to the Isles of the Blest, because of her captain's selfless wish upon a falling star."

Bridget yawned. "That was a good story, Lady Dorothea."

Dot smiled her slow smile, but did not answer.

Susan now was throwing meaningful looks at John, who was refusing to look at her.

Suddenly, Titty, who had been staring at the sky, exclaimed, "A shooting star! Quick, everyone, make a wish!"

All eyes looked up to the fiery flame of the falling star, with one exception. Titty and Dot's lips moved quietly. Bridget squeezed her eyes shut. Rodger threw a cheeky grin to the stars. Peggy looked wistful. Nancy's eyes sparkled with a challenge. John had a glimmer of hope in his eyes, but it flickered out before it could grow.

Then the star disappeared into the lake.

With a collective sigh, the Swallows, Amazons, and Dorothea floated back to earth. (Dick had never left it)

Nancy broke the silence with a brittle laugh. "Well, if wishes were fishes..."

Before she could finish, the whole world turned to grey mist around them and began to whirl most alarmingly. Bridget screamed. Susan gasped. "This isn't REAL, is it, Susan? Susan!" Bridget shrieked.

Dot grabbed onto Peggy, who was closest to her. "It's magic!" she exclaimed, pulling Peggy towards her.

"What?!" yelled Peggy. "Someone? ANYONE?"

Titty, who was nearest to Dick heard him say "But it's not scientific! Not possible!"

"Not...everything...is...HELP!" she yelled, feeling herself being pulled away.

John tried to fight his way through the mist towards Susan, who was just within his sight but he slipped and fell...

…...into grey nothingness.

* * *

 _A/N: And the adventure begins..._

 _First, unlike my other long story, "Hope Springs Always", "More Than They Bargained For" will not be updated regularly. The reason is that I need some motivation for it, and I was hoping to get that from reviews. (Is that selfish?)_

 _Second, this is more of a crossover, in all truth, but there is not an established section for it, so it is here. You'll see the crossover soon...:)_

 _Lastly, this story is for all of those people who want more stories about the Swallows and Amazons. This opening chapter is especially for Solo for all his help with my SA &D works. _

_Thank you all. See you sooon!_

 _Mary out._


	2. That's Not How the Quote Ends!

A/N: Special thanks to Solo and constantlearner for their reviews! Thank you so much for the thought and time put into them!

I hope you enjoy this next chapter. Reviews (esp. constructive ones!) really help.

* * *

Chapter Two: "That's Not How the Quote Ends!"

John's next coherent thought ran along the lines of "Did a mist blow over the lake, or did Nancy put something in the grog?"

Which was followed by "What the—what am I WEARING? And why am I lying down?"

He opened his eyes and saw a very different landscape than that of Wild Cat Island. He was in a clearing of what he supposed had to be woodlands, and the sun was high in the sky. Birds sang about him, and some small animal scurried away into the brush. A less pleasing discovery was that he was on his back in some kind of bristly bush.

Quickly, he got up and brushed himself off. Upon further investigation, he found that he had been lying in a gorse bush at the foot of an oak tree. A wide path lay to his right, and it was a dirt path, though well trodden. He was wearing a long, gray tunic, belted over yellow?! pants, with a heavy knife at his side, (very different than his previous shorts, folding knife and brown shirt) and his back was all over brush. A large bag sat near him, and a smaller bag was tied to the belt.

"Barbecued billygoats, where am I and where are the others?" a shrill voice examined from above.

"Nancy? Is that you?" John called, looking all around.

"John? Galoot! No, I'm the Professor. Up HERE!"

John looked up. Nancy was precariously balanced in the oak tree on a limb about twenty feet from the ground. She too was dressed in a long tunic over tight pants, but she had a bow and quiver instead of the knife, and her tunic was russet. And she was very angry.

"Well, come on down, Nancy, and we'll discuss what to do," he said.

Nancy gave him a look. "And just _how_ , **how** , HOW am I supposed to get down in this rig?" she answered in a dangerously low tone.

"Did someone call for me?" a new voice cut in.

John turned around. "Dick! How did you get here?"

" _I_ don't know. It is very interesting," he added, gazing around as he slowly walked towards John. "The bird calls are varied and strange. Are we still in England?"

"John! Catch!" Nancy threw down the bow and quiver. Dick looked up, quite unaware that the quiver was coming straight at his nose. John pushed him away and caught it right before the arrows tumbled out. The bow fell to the ground.

"It would be helpful if you gave me a little more notice, Nancy," he muttered, picking up the arrows. _Ow! They're quite sharp...?_

Dick, who was dressed just like John, but with a large leather satchel hanging by his side, bent down and picked up the bow. "Interesting," he noted. "It looks like it was handmade. Yew wood," he added, pulling at the string.

"Oi! Leave that alone, Professor!" Nancy jumped down from a lower branch and took her weapons back. Dick turned to look at a bird.

"So, where are we again?" she asked the two boys.

"We don't know, Nancy, any more than you do." John picked up the sack and shook it. It made a slight thumping sound.

"And what's all THIS?!" Nancy demanded, suddenly realizing that all three of them had different clothes on.

"We don't know," John answered, trying to untie the mouth of the sack. _It's made of fabric, but this tie is leather. Why? And what sort of knot_ is _this?_

Dick still had his eyes on the bird, or was it birds now? Nancy couldn't tell. "John! Aren't you going to TALK to me?"

John's patience snapped. "Nancy, please! WE DON'T KNOW. Can you just take that?" he asked crossly as he struggled with the knot.

Nancy muttered something like "Shiver my timbers!" under her breath, but stopped talking. John finally got the sack open and was about to delve into it when Dick muttered, "Er, John...someone's coming on the road...a lot of people, I think...and I don't think this is pretend anymore..."

"What?!"

SA&D-SA&D-SA&D

Apparently, watching birds and observing things conscientiously as Dick did was helpful in other ways, for by the time the first man had stepped into the glen, Nancy had an arrow on the string, John had his knife out, and Dick, with the bags, was ready for a hasty retreat.

 _I really hope we don't have to use these,_ John thought. _How real is this, anyway?_

The man laughed and held out his hands. "Peace, my good youths. We have your sisters with us, and we mean you no harm." He stepped forward, and walked closer. Two other men followed him.

Nancy looked at John. "What?" she muttered.

"I think he thinks you are a boy. Better keep it that way," John whispered, sheathing his long knife. "Our sisters? Which ones?" he asked politely. "And may we ask who you are?"

"John! Dick! Nathan! We were so worried!" Titty's voice rang out, followed by her running up to them, Bridget in tow. She flung herself at Nancy and hugged her tight.

"This is Sherwood Forest, with Robin Hood and all. You're a boy now. We are your siblings—except Dick and Dot. Keep quiet; I'll try to explain later. Think Peter Duck!" she hissed, releasing her, and giving her a little shake.

Nancy's eyes went big. "Barbecued billygoats!" she grumbled. "Where have you been!" she added loudly.

Titty was hugging a stunned Dick. "Don't say ANYTHING," she muttered to him. "I know it's not scientific! Please, trust me."

She threw a look at Nancy. "YOU were the ones to get lost," she scolded loudly. The men guffawed.

John had a strangely subdued Bridget in his arms when Titty barreled into him. "John, this is Sherwood. We are with Robin Hood now. Nancy is Nathan, because she's dressed like a boy. Dick and Dot are our cousins. Please let me do the talking," she tumbled out.

"Thank Heaven and the saints! Thank you, good Robin, for re-uniting us!" she said at normal tone, releasing John and smiling on the first man.

"Eigh, lass, twasn't only him!" laughed the biggest man of the three. Titty blushed and fiddled with her—long red dress? Dick could hardly believe his eyes.

"Wait, wait, wait. You're Robin Hood and, well, some of the Merry Men?" Nancy burst out.

"My faith, this lad is boldest of the three!" the largest man—Little John?-commented. "I am Little John, Robin's right hand man. And you are Nathan?"

"I am, sir." John looked at her. _Please don't say anything that will give us away!_

Dick took off his spectacles and rubbed them with his fingers, trying to clean them up without a pocket handkerchief. This drew the attention of the smallest man. "Lad, what are those? They look uncanny to me."

Dick blinked nearsightedly around, clearly trying to find the source of the voice. Titty swooped in to the rescue. "They are a contrivance, sir, to improve the sight. My cousin Dick has had certain troubles with his eyes—" Nancy choked, but turned away to pull Bridget's pigtail—"and my father, who was an inventor, designed these for him. They are called spectacles."

John blinked. He didn't know that Titty could lie so quickly and effectively. It was...unsettling, to say the least.

"So, Mis—good Robin Hood, Little John, and...?" he asked, trying his best to recall how people talked in _The Merry Adventures of Robin Hood._

"Tom. Tom o' the Mill. And you are?" the short one responded.

"John," John answered, and then, in a burst of inspiration "John, the inventor's son. This is Dick—he was my father's apprentice. And Nathan..." he paused, unsure of what was safe to say.

"You don't want to know what I'm generally called," Nancy said with a scowl that was only partially faked.

Titty looked at her in horror ( _Nancy, stop!)_ but Little John and Tom laughed again. "Rascal? Varmint? Imp?" they asked cheerfully.

"Somewhat along those lines," Nancy answered with a grin. John shook his head. _This could get us into a lot of trouble..._

Titty frowned. "I thought we were striving to get away from that?" she murmured, but loudly enough for Robin to hear.

'Nathan' just grinned at her. Titty threw her hands up and took Bridget back from John.

Robin, in the meantime, was looking about alertly. "Mistress Titty, did you see anyone else on the road? Or did you lads see anyone?" he asked.

"No, we did not, did we, Bridget?" Titty answered, smiling at her sister.

"No sir!" answered Bridget loudly. Tom chuckled at her.

John looked at Nancy and Dick, who was still messing with his glasses. "Neither did we," he answered, figuring no-one else would answer.

Robin frowned. "Little John, would you take our visitors off the road?" he asked. "I fear we are about to have some company."

Nancy's eyes sparkled. Titty moved closer to John. Bridget put her thumb in her mouth and buried her head in Titty's shoulder. Dick pushed his spectacles onto his face and picked up the bags.

"Robin, are you sure about this?" Little John asked.

"Yes, now quickly!"

Little John shrugged and took Titty's hand.

"Follow me, lads!" he said sternly, leading Titty and Bridget into the brush by the side of the road.

Nancy plucked one of the two bags from Dick's hands and headed after Little John. Dick stared at her uncomprehendingly. John, who was about to follow, saw Dick and shook him.

"Hurry up!" he muttered. Dick looked around and slowly pushed his way into the brush. John fidgeted, trying to let Dick get in before him. A muffled oath came from Little John and Bridget began to fuss. Titty was saying something that John couldn't quite hear, but he got the impression that she wasn't pleased. Robin Hood and Tom had disappeared. To top it all off, his ears caught the sound of heavy feet coming down the road. _Great, great._

Nancy's voice hissed out of the brush "We can't get any further ! You'll have to find someplace else, John!"

"What?!" John hissed back, his temper completely gone. "Everyone else is gone! What do you expect ME to do?"

"Climb a tree!" Nancy answered.

"Be silent!" Little John warned them.

John pinched the bridge of his nose and looked about him. There weren't many options. To his right was the brush and trees, to his left, an open field, and before and behind him was the road.

 _Where did Robin and Tom go?_

Just then, a group of armed men rounded the corner. "Hey lad! Seen anyone about?" one called to him.

* * *

 _A/N: What did you think? Please tell me!_


	3. Oh What a Tangled Web We Weave!

_A/N: This story is so easy to write...I'm glad Solo and Constantlearner are enjoying it! I hope this update fulfills y'alls expectations!_

Chapter Three: "Oh What a Tangled Web We Weave!"

John Walker could handle many things. Angry relations, a shipwreck, fussy younger siblings, an impromptu trek in the snow, sailing across the North Sea with his siblings, in a gale, and Nancy Blackett were all on that list. But talking to a group of soldiers from the eleven hundredth century was _not_ on that list.

Until now.

"No, sir. Have you? I'm looking for my siblings and cousin—three girls and a boy. We were traveling to Nottingham, but somehow we got separated. We are newcomers here," he added, desperately hoping this fit with whatever Titty had told the others and that he didn't sound too weird. _Besides, maybe we can figure out where the others are...are they even IN this time?!_

"Are you?" a second man asked with a twitch in his eye. "Where are you from?"

 _Oh, no. This could be a problem..._

"Originally from York, sir," John said, hoping that this wasn't too fantastic. "We're looking for work, but we've been on the road a long time."

"I should think so, lad. York is quite far off. Did you travel all the way by foot?" the first man asked kindly.

"Not all the way, sir. We caught a few rides, with obliging persons. Sometimes, they would take us a far way. The girls had need of it." _In for a penny, in for a pound. What sort of money do they use here?I wish my history was better._

"Aye, it's a far way, and none too easy on the lassies," another man added in a thick Scotch accent. "They'll have need of ye and yer other brother, laddie!"

John nodded, not sure of what to say.

The (apparent) leader scratched his beard. "Well, lad, methinks you have courage enough for one your age! We'll look out for your folk, as we also dwell in Nottingham. Three girls and a lad, is that right?"

He smiled at John's nod and turned away. "Forward!" he rapped out.

The group started off again. John estimated, with the part of his brain that wasn't worried about the plausibility of his story, that there were about thirty men. It seemed to take forever (though in actuality it was only a few minutes) before the last man passed him with a wink and a muttered, "Look out for your sisters, lad; the outlaws abouts are thick as leaves and they aren't picky either."

 _Jolly,_ John thought, acutely aware of Robin, Tom and Little John's presence. _What is that supposed to mean?_

SA&D-SA&D-SA&D

As soon as the men rounded the bend in the road some way off, Robin leaped from a low branch overhead, followed by Tom. Little John poked his head out from the brush.

"Well done, young man!" Robin said. "'Twas a good act you put on."

Tom grinned as Nancy pushed past Little John and bounded into the path. "Lucky beast," she said to John. "You get all the fun."

"Comes with being the oldest," John said calmly, doing his best to hide his frazzled emotions. _Nancy does NOT understand the problems this is going to create...I can't believe they swallowed that whole...I bet this is Titty's wish coming true. Or Dot's. So much for my wish..._

Little John emerged with a smiling Bridget on his shoulders and Titty (who was saying something John couldn't understand) behind him. She looked mad, which was never a good thing with Titty.

"Where's Dick?" said Nancy.

"He is observing a bird, and won't come out," she answered.

John sighed. That was just like Dick. "Dick! Come out of there NOW!"

Dick emerged from the brush, fumbling for a shorts' pocket that wasn't there. He was visibly agitated. "I'm sure that was a..."

"Never mind about the bird," Nancy cut him off before he could blurt out anything scientific. "Come on!"

Dick plodded onto the road, murmuring to himself. Nancy rolled her eyes, John set his teeth, and Titty looked like she wanted to cry.

A queer expression flew over Little John's face as he surveyed the dusty little group. _What's he thinking, oh no, does he know what people from York sound like?_ John's mind was all awhirl. He felt like he was back with Captain Flint, and about to break the news of _Swallow's_ sinking to Mother again.

"So, you are from York?" Tom asked as Little John put Bridget down.

"Yes, good sir, but that was some time ago," Titty answered, as Bridget walked over to her, looking nervous.

"No time for that. Let's put these good folk on the road for Nottingham and be on our way," Robin said, a little pompously.

"Yes, Robin," Little John growled, looking suspiciously at Dick and Nancy.

 _Oh, great._

SA&D-SA&D-SA&D

Some time later, they were all trudging down the dusty road in silence.

There had been some attempts at conversation in the beginning, (mostly started by Tom) but none of the others had said much. Dick and Bridget knew better now than to open their mouths, Titty was exhausted ( _who_ thought it would be a good idea to take a hike in strange shoes right after a long day of sailing on the Lake?) Nancy was tired, and John was puzzling over their cover story. It didn't help that everyone was getting hungry.

 _However, it should work with our current story to be quiet right now,_ he thought, catching Titty as she stumbled against him. "Steady on, Titty," he muttered.

Nancy plucked Bridget off of a staggering Dick and settled her on her hip in a clumsy imitation of Susan's carrying hold. _Wouldn't do to have the Professor running himself into the ground, would it?_ Bridget scowled and whimpered as the quiver bumped into her side, but snuggled down and closed her eyes. Titty looked at Nancy, then decided it wasn't worth the effort of trying to get Bridget back, and readjusted her grip on a bag. John shifted his knife and swung the other bag over his back.

 _I do hope Titty knows what she's doing,_ he thought as Robin began to lead them off the path down into a gorge.

Titty looked at him. "Talk to you when I—can," she panted out.

They slipped and slid down through the prickly bushes. As they moved along, several accidents happened. First, Dick tripped and rolled into Little John, who picked him up and brushed him off without comment. Then, Titty twisted her foot and had to lean on John for support, thereby hindering his and her way down the rocky slope. Finally, (and this was the last straw) Nancy's bow snagged on a low branch, jerking her and Bridget backwards into a thistle. She let go of the sleepy Bridget and began to untangle her hair and bow from the thistle. Bridget began to cry loudly as she stumbled into a gorse bush.

"Keep the babe quiet!" Robin hissed at them from below. He looked very worried, and (John noticed) had an arrow on the string. Little John casually slipped his bow off his back and followed his leader's example. John picked up Bridget and shushed her, leaving Dick to catch Titty awkwardly.

Then everything blew up around their ears.

 _A/N: If this bumps to the top, again, please ignore it. I just had to do a little updating!_

 _Review if you like?_


	4. In Which Adventures Wax Uncomfortable

_A/N: I know it's been awhile, but I hope you will still enjoy. Constructive criticism and reviews are always welcome. :)_

Chapter Four: In which Adventures Wax Dangerous and Uncomfortable.

* * *

As Titty regained her balance, she saw three men leaping down from the rocky slopes above them. A bow twanged, and someone cried out from behind her.

"Down! Get down!" Robin yelled. "Tom, get the girl and the child!"

"Titty!" John hissed as he pulled her down next to him under the very gorse bush Bridget had just escaped from. "Where are the other two?"

"I don't know—DICK!"

Titty finished with a shriek as another man stabbed at Dick with a spear. Dick jumped backward and tripped again, landing on his face, his feet snarled in one of the bags. The man sneered and drew a long dagger.

"Oh, no, he'll never make it!" John muttered, shoving a sobbing Bridget at Titty. "Here! Stay back!"

He fumbled with his knife, finally getting it free as he crawled out of the bush. "I'm coming, Dick!" he shouted, wondering what on earth he could do.

But even as he got to his feet, an arrow whizzed past his ear, and the man fell with a thud—right across Dick.

"John?" a shaky voice asked.

It was Nancy, and it was her arrow that had saved Dick.

John swung around and saw Robin grappling with three men at once. Little John had two men after him, and Tom had disappeared. Nancy stumbled towards him, her face pale. She looked like she wanted to throw up.

"Are you all right, Nancy?" John asked urgently.

"Yes. No. I don't know!" Nancy scrubbed a hand across her face, smearing dirt and...tears? together. Her face crumpled as she looked at her bow.

John stood there awkwardly, wondering what to do. Was it all right to pat her on the shoulder or on the back like he'd do to a school friend?

"Um, John, and um, Nathan...thanks." Dick broke the awkward silence. He had one of the bags under his arm. "What do we do now?" he asked, looking around.

They followed his eyes. Five dead men lay about them and Robin, with Little John were collecting arrows and daggers off the dead. Nancy shivered as she looked and John's stomach turned at the sight.

"We run," Little John said shortly, coming over to them. "One got away and he's bound to spread news. Come with us; we'll set you up in no time."

He slapped Nancy on the shoulder. "Good work, lad. First kill?"

Nancy winced.

"Aye, it's always hard. But you saved the other lad's life. Come along." He began to walk down the slope again at a fast clip.

"Wait! Sir, where are my sisters?" John asked, hurrying after him.

"Tom has them," Robin answered, thrusting the other bag into Dick's hands. "Follow me!"

They stumbled after Robin, footsore and weary.

SA&D-SA&D-SA&D

Some time later, in the thick of the forest now, Robin stopped.

"All right, lads, we've got to blindfold you now. T'won't be for long."

He fished three dirty strips of cloth from out of a small bag and tossed one to Little John. A look of disgust swept over Dick's face as he reluctantly took off his spectacles. Nancy let out a strangled giggle, and John rubbed his forehead, suddenly overwhelmed.

Little John and Robin had definitely done this before, for within a few minutes, all three were blindfolded and were being led quickly through the forest.

It was hard going, and more than once John almost fell, but someone always caught him and they pushed onwards in silence. He was very tired, and after the first five minutes or so stopped trying to figure out what was going on. _It's not like we know these woods anyway._

He had no idea of how much time had past, but finally, the blindfold was whisked away and he could see that they had reached the entrance of a cave. Robin whistled, a high, two note call as Little John straightened up from pushing a bush away from the opening.

"Nanc—Nathan? Dick?"

"Right here, John" "Over here!" they answered him from behind. Nancy came over by him and Dick ducked around Robin's elbow, clearly more eager to get near the others.

"In you go, lads!" Little John's voice boomed out from inside.

Surprisingly, Dick was the first to scramble in, head first. Nancy followed, muttering to herself about billygoats. John hoped Little John and Robin couldn't hear what she was saying as he followed hard on her heels.

It was dark and stuffy inside the cave, making it hard for him to see anything. A small fire flickered in one corner, and three shadows hovered over it.

"John! Dick!" Titty's voice came out of the gloom, followed by her hand landing on John's arm.

"Are you all right? Where's Bridget?" John asked, blinking.

"We're fine. She's asleep."

"Good." John sat down on the floor, feeling very tired. Nancy bumped into him and sat down hard.

"I say, is anyone else hungry?" she asked. "It feels like hours since we ate on..."

Titty pinched her. "Ow!" Nancy scowled, but a look from John silenced her.

Dick loomed out of the shadows and settled himself between Titty and Nancy. "I found this," he said, setting down a skin bottle, four apples, and a loaf of bread. "There's another two loaves in the bag I had, some more apples, a little bag of something and something that I think is cheese, but I'm not sure. It smells."

"What's in the bottle?" someone—John thought it was Titty—asked.

"Just pop it open and find out!" Nancy said, munching on an apple.

"I think it's just water," Titty said, passing the bottle to Nancy.

John accepted a piece of bread from Dick and looked around. Tom, Little John, Robin, and someone else were talking in low tones at the far side of the cave.

"What do we do now?" Nancy muttered to him.

"I don't know. Titty?"

She swallowed a mouthful. "I think we should get our backstory in order first. I have most of one planned out, if you'd like to hear it."

"Go on," John encouraged.

"Well, so, Dot and I have done a lot of thinking about this time in history—she wanted to make up a story and I like the history part of it—and we thought that we'd probably be peasants or merchants in this time. Right now, we're peasants, and Dick is our cousin. I think we should still say we came from York, our father was an inventor, he and mother died, and we're on our own now."

"And what sort of work are we looking for?" Nancy asked.

"Anything, really, but maybe something scribe related? We can all write, and you know at least I can use a quill pen.* And John, you and Dick are still young enough to be apprentices, I think." Titty chewed her lip. "I don't know what to do with Bridgie though. She's so little."

Nancy yawned. Dick was already asleep in the corner. Titty ended her sentence with a little sniff. John knew they were all exhausted. _Good luck getting anything else done now._

"Let's get some rest, crew," he said.

"Aye, aye, commodore!"

* * *

 _Thank you for reading. Review if you like?_


	5. In Which We Find Out Certain Things

_A late Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to all! I hope you enjoy this chapter. Thanks as always for reading!_

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Chapter Five: In which we find out that some things are best lost in time and what some of the wishes were.

"John! John, I have to go!"

John rolled over. "Go back to bed, Roger. The bathroom is where it's always been," he muttered, pushing the little hands off of his face.

"JOHN! I can't!"

"Wha? Bridgie? What are you doing...oh, bother," he ended as he realized where they were. He sat up and rubbed his eyes. "Come on, we'll see what we can do."

"I really, really have to go, John!" Bridget danced away from him. "Titty won't wake up, and I don't want Nan—"

"Bridgie! Be quiet, you'll wake the others! And Nathan would be very cross, you know that," John said, gingerly picking her up and stepping over Dick.

It seemed to take a long time to get to the opening, and even longer to get outside. John had to navigate over Nancy, Titty, and their bags while Bridget wriggled and squirmed in his arms. She kept telling him to hurry up, and he was half afraid she would go on him if they couldn't get out in time. Having no idea of the clothing situation, and with no Susan to help him out, he really did not want that to happen, which made him very anxious to get out of the cave.

Finally, they both came out, only to be challenged at the opening by Little John. After John explained the problem, he laughed and let them through with a wink...

….only for them to discover that Bridget didn't know how to get her clothes off!

This led to an unpleasant session in the bushes ("Ow, it's scratchy! John, you can't look! Bridget, just pull it off! You are big enough to do it!") which did not work and left Bridget needing a new outfit, much to John's chagrin and disgust.

 _This is Susan's stuff, not mine!_

Another thought struck him. _What if this is the only clothes she's got?_

Bridget started sobbing. "I'm sorry, John!" she wailed, staring at the wet skirt and short-things.

"It's not your fault. Let's see if Titty can clear this up for us, Bridgie," John answered, wondering why he had to be the one to deal with this, why those particular wishes got him into it and where were the others, anyway?

He pushed through the bushes. Bridget followed close behind carrying the wet things. "Titty! Where are you?" he called, hoping that she was awake by now.

"Hush, boy!" Little John's voice snapped. Bridget sulkily pointed upwards and after a little searching, John saw him perched in a tree. "Thy sister's awake and coming, if the sounds are of any note."

John nodded curtly and thrust himself out of the brambles. "Come _on_ , Bridget."

"I hate you! And I want Susan or Mam!"

John did not answer this. He hated the situation as well, but it wouldn't be good for anyone if he started trying to reason with Bridget. Besides, he needed answers and he knew where to get them from—Titty.

SA&D-SA&D-SA&D

Titty had very few answers for John and Nancy, other than "I wished to meet Robin Hood, and I think we should stick to that story I told you, and go through our bags. I had no idea this was going to happen, and I don't know where the others are at all. Bridget, you have to wait until we sort this out. I don't know what to do next—we seem to be stuck here unless we ask to go out, given what John told us of our 'guard'. What did you wish for?"

Nancy grinned and pointed to her outfit. Titty smiled and nodded. John sighed. _Of course Nancy would wish for that!_

"My wish was very vague, Titty, and it hasn't come true yet," he said. "Besides, I don't think it has any bearing on the current problem."

Titty looked from him to Nancy and smiled again. Somehow, this annoyed John beyond words. Bridget whimpered again, adding to his frustration.

"What about you, Dick? Did you wish for anything?" he asked, peering about in the cave for him.

"What? Oh, no, but look here. I found quite a lot of stuff, and maybe this will help Bridget?" Dick answered from behind, holding up a pair of shorts. Titty took them with an "Oh, thank you, Dick!" and pulled Bridget further into the cave with her. Nancy and John stayed to investigate the bags.

In the first bag were cloaks for all, two extra shawls, two more sets of shorts for Bridget, three assorted sets of colorful tight pants and tunics, something that looked like a sort of jacket for a girl, two dresses, brown and grey, and two pairs of shoes, all tightly packed together. Food was re-discovered in the second bag, along with a small knife for everyone, presumably to eat with. And in Dick's satchel they found a bundle of coarse paper, a vial of ink, three quill pens, two sticks of charcoal, three rough books, a sharping stone, and a small knife.

"Why we have this is beyond me," Nancy said, fingering the paper. "This isn't even good paper!"

Titty stepped on Nancy's foot. "Father spoiled you," she said lightly, fingering the larger of the two dresses.

"And Mother ignored you!" Nancy retorted, tossing the sharping stone.

"What are we going to do with the wet pants?" Bridget asked. Nancy snorted and Titty rolled her eyes.

"Well, Bridget, we will deal with that later," she answered firmly, taking the pants from her sister.

Dick's head jerked up."Titty, Nathan...look." John's belt pouch was full of glittering silver and small pieces of gold.

"Oh, dear," Titty pulled a similar bag out of somewhere and opened it. It was full of small silver and dull copper coins. "John, please put that away, and don't let anyone see it!" she whispered. "I think that's worth quite a bit!"

"Yes, but how much?" John said. "We can't ask anyone!"

"I expect we can find out somehow, using the little coins," Titty answered. "Bridgie, you mustn't ever talk about this!"

Bridget looked very sulky, but nodded.

John swept the bag closed and tied it firmly on his belt. "What do we do now?"

"You'll be coming along with us. Word's reached the town, and I dinna think your company 'ud be welcome, now," Little John answered. "That man had a gob on him, sure, and he's related to the Sheriff, worse luck. Robin's been a-talking to some friends of ours, and we think the rest of your family made it to the town safely."

They all jumped. Just how long had he been listening at the door?


	6. This Wasn't in the Book

_A/N: Hope you enjoy! Also, for those of you who've read this before, there's a new part, like I said in the summary._

* * *

Chapter Six: "This Wasn't In the Book..."

When John looked back on the trip to Robin's base, he remembered it as one of the most disagreeable things they had ever done. Titty tried hard not to think of it even in the context of a story. Nancy privately wondered how the dickens no one had let anything out during it, and Dick never said a word about it to any of the others.

Because, in a nutshell, it was awful.

But after walking for the rest of the afternoon, over fields, bogs, and streams, with blisters coming on, Bridget crying, Dick's absentmindedness, and the air getting cold, it was such a relief to finally have the blindfolds come off and to see a rough table set with food and drink, and kind faces smiling at them. John recognized Robin sitting at the head of the table, laughing with another man as he poured drinks into rough cups.

Titty, Dick and Nancy flopped down on the ground around the fire, setting down the bags and sighing. Titty shut her eyes and huddled closer to the fire. Nancy looked about, bright eyes noting the rough tents, the group of men, the side of meat sizzling over the fire and the washing hung over most of the nearby trees. Dick extracted a piece of paper and began to scribble something down, oblivious to all else. But John stayed on his feet, swaying a bit, but determined to figure out if they were welcomed or not before he sat down.

"Well, Tom, how did they do?" Robin asked, looking up from his cup.

"The little 'un had troubles, but we all made it, sir," Tom answered, setting a limp Bridget down on a pile of skins by the fire and warming his hands. "Next time, tha, I'd take it kindly if you sent Will instead, 'cause he knows the childer better'n meself."

"Yes, I had thought o'that, but you were there, Tom, and champing for work," Robin answered, pushing the cups around the table. "And Will was off handling that awkwardness with the miller."

"Yessir." Tom sat down at the table and took a long drink. Robin waved Little John over and began to talk with him in low tones. The other men moved around, working on the meal and some other things John couldn't make out in the gathering gloom. He finally sat down next to Titty, bone tired. She leaned against him, sniffling. Some part of his mind noted that she was crying in a distant way.

"Robin, aren't you going to introduce me?" a soft voice asked from behind them.

John turned, Titty at his side. A woman stood behind them, dressed in a grey gown with a blue mantle over her shoulders. She smiled at them as she came nearer, her skirts swishing about her and a riding crop in her hand.

Titty pushed herself up and wobbled through a curtsey. John scrambled up and bowed as best he could. Nancy let out a low whistle and stood, tossing off a neat bow of her own. Dick blinked up, stared, and turned back to his paper, much to Titty's evident disgust.

Robin smiled and strode over, pride evident in his manner. He took her hand and bowed over it with a cocky grin. She tapped his cheek and nodded towards the children.

"Ah, yes, Marian. This is John, Titty, Nathan, and their cousin, Dick, of York. Lads, little lady, I present the Lady Marian Fizwilliam, of Fizwilliam Hall." Robin announced.

Titty's eyebrows went up at this. John fumbled in his mind, trying to find an adequate response to Robin. He settled for another bow and murmured, "An honor to meet you, Lady."

Titty nodded hard and bobbed again. Dick set aside the paper and picked up another piece. Nancy grinned and bowed with a flourish. _She's enjoying this far too much!_ John thought grimly. _And where_ is _Dick's mind?!_

"My, there's one bold lad!" Marian laughed like the tinkle of small bells. "And thou, pretty maid, has thou aught to say?" she added, turning to Titty.

Titty looked at Marian, tear streaks all over her red face. Marian tsked and drew out a fine cloth. "Here, lassie, wipe those red eyes of yours and come sit with me."

With a look full of worry at John, Titty made her way over to Marian, who drew her to a seat at the table and began to talk with her, patting her hand and pouring her a drink.

John didn't like that at all, but what was one to do?

SA&D-SA&D-SA&D

When everyone else began to gather about the table, Dick had to be woken up and Bridget needed another, this time complete, change of clothing.

Titty struggled through the bag once more, settling for a fresh pair of those shorts. John and Nancy were already at the table and Dick was moving towards it, peering all about him. Titty pulled Bridget to her feet and dragged her to the table, blushing violently as Marian beckoned them to her side.

Robin stood up and all chatter stopped. "Lord, we thank thee for good food and friends. Amen!"

"Amen!" the men responded and set to their meal.

John looked for a fork, but all he found was a rough little knife by his plate. A huge side of meat landed in front of him. He stared at it, wondering what to do.

"Come on, lad, don't be shy!" the person next to him chuckled, carving off a big slab. "Plenty more where that came from!"

John picked up his knife and hacked off a piece. He moved to put it on his own plate, but our of the corner of his eye, he saw Robin serving Marian a piece of fruit. Instinctively, he began to pass the cut meat to Nancy, disregarding her clothes.

"John! Titty's not next to you here, y'know," Nancy said, plucking the platter from in front of him.

 _Oops!_

"Right. Sorry, Nate!" John answered, plopping it down on his plate and cutting it into bits. _How stupid was that?! That's just what we need, Nancy to blow her cover!_

Fruit came around next and all the Walkers went for the apples. At least they knew what these were! Dick took a handful of berries and Nancy passed altogether.

As the meal wound down, Robin beckoned their raggle-taggle group and Marian away. Most of the other men continued to guzzle food and wine, but Little John and one other man came with them.

Robin led them all behind two tents and down hill a bit to a great oak tree. John concentrated on carrying Bridget there, ignoring a (disgustingly, in his opinion, but who was listening to _him_ ?) perky Nancy and a now-animated Dick chattering to Titty about something or other as he showed his paper to her.

And to top it off, he realized once again that they really had no idea where the others were or if they were safe or if they were together or if...

"...so, Marian has agreed to take the girls on as maids in her castle. If the men are willing, I'll keep the boys here."

Wait. _Wait_. **WAIT**.

"Titty, _what_ did he just say?"

SA&D-SA&D-SA&D

It was a doleful little gathering that the moon looked down on as he came up over the horizon above Sherwood Forest in a cloud of mist. Just like all the other doleful collections of people he had seen many times before. But he slipped behind a cloud as he always tried to do to hide his cheery face from them.

Below him, Dick bit his lip and Nancy ran her hand through her hair as Titty slowly came over to them, Bridget in her arms. Little John turned away, whistling softly as he stroked a spare horse held by Tom. Marian looked with sympathy on them as she handed the girls' bag to Robin to load onto the horse. The other men had faded away, giving them a bit of privacy.

John fisted his hands, dreading the separation with all his heart. _If only there was some other option!_

But there simply wasn't any other way.

Marian had told Robin she could take all of them, but Robin insisted that that would be too much to expect from her. "You'll have plenty of visits, lad," was his only comment to John's mutinous face.

"And ye'll be much happier here!" Little John added.

So that was that.

"John?" Titty whispered.

John opened his eyes. His sister's eyes were full of tears. "Goodbye, John," she said, her voice cracking. "Do be careful...I told Nathan to be careful as well. Keep an eye on him, won't you?"

Bridget whimpered. "We're leaving? To go home?" she asked.

"Shh, shh, Bridgie," Titty said.

"We'll be careful, Titty. I hope you'll be...all right," John answered, struggling to get the words out. "We'll manage here, somehow. We always do."

Titty dug up a smile from somewhere and put it on. "You know, this was our dream," she said softly, looking at the lacing on his shirt. "To have grand adventures, without any help, far away from home, remember?"

She looked up abruptly. "I just wish I could wake up."

John took a quick step forward and hugged both his sisters. "Be careful," he whispered, seeing Marian and Robin coming over to them.

Titty hugged back hard. "Love you," she choked, stepping away, her face in Bridget's dress.

"Bye Bridgie. See you soon!" John called after them.

Marian mounted the dark grey horse, sidesaddle. Robin took Bridget from Titty and passed her to Marian, who tucked her into the lap of the great blue cloak. He swung Titty up onto the other horse and mounted in front of her.

"Goodbye, Dick, Nathan, John!" Titty called, waving hard.

The three waved back as the horses cantered away in the moonlight. Rain began to fall, dripping down about them.

Dick and Nancy followed the men to shelter when the horses faded from their view.

But John stood for a long time in the soft rain, with the fickle winds blowing about him.

* * *

 _Thank you for reading!_


	7. Settling In

_A/N: I had to post this chapter sooner rather than later, as it was running away with the plot! I hope you enjoy it._

* * *

Chapter Seven: Settling In.

One would think that John, Nancy and Dick would be able to get along pretty well with Robin's men; indeed, that they would be better prepared than most. After all, they had done quite a bit of hiking, sailing, and living on their own away from civilization during the holidays and had toughed up somewhat. Besides, they knew it was going to be hard and rough living and had few rosy expectations about the life they were about to live.

However, this was very much harder than the simple camping and exploring trips they had done in the past, and far exceeded their wildest expectations.

For one thing, the sheer amount of lying they had to do drained even Nancy's imagination. How else could they explain the fact that they knew so little about just living? The simplest thing eluded them. Who knew washing clothes—without soap or hot water—was so hard that it took an entire morning? Not to mention the mending! Or sharping knives on a turning stone? And of course, someone (John, this time) had to provide an explanation for why they didn't know how to do it—"The girls did all that sort of work at home" which was fortunately accepted by Allan-a-Dale and Jacob th'Wheelwright who were at that time working with them.

Not so the explanation for why Nancy didn't bathe with the rest of the men on the tenth day. "He can stay and watch the dinner," Dick suggested, only to be told that they weren't planning on eating dinner that day and where had his head been at the noon meal! John hastily interjected that he and Nathan needed to mend their extra hose anyway before they could change, so they would take their bath later together. This did not cover them completely, as Will Scarlet and Wandering Jack gave Nancy scrutinizing and doubting looks, but at least got her out of communal bathing. Even Dick was relieved after that incident!

Second, the fact that they were expected to do as much work as the men did, and do it well was not something they were ready for in any but the slightest of ways. This was the factor that exhausted all of them and made some days so difficult that they all were about ready to lay down and ignore everything, no matter what the consequences might be. Dick had the hardest time out of the three, but even John thought on some days that he couldn't take another step, let alone finish the work.

One of the most memorable incidents of this time occurred when Nancy did not listen or attend to Little John's instructions during a quarterstaff bout and let out her own style of fighting. Due to the terrain, a blocking move from Little John let the point of his staff hit her in the stomach as she fell forward onto it. She promptly threw up all over his arms and spent the rest of the day in bed, refusing all food and attention.

Another moment that burned into John's memory was when Dick spent a whole morning once scraping a deerhide, only to double over in agonizing cricks by sunset, biting his hand to contain his moans. Tom discovered him huddled in a pile of blankets when he could not be found for dinner. Robin scolded Martin hard for not showing Dick how to prop the hide properly up and let Dick off the evening's work of tending to the swords and bows, but John spent most of the night trying to help Dick find somewhere where he could at least find relief from the pain, let alone sleep!

But worst of all were the mass of small aches, pains, misunderstandings and struggles that they faced on a day to day basis. These dragged them down and hurt so much that each one of them knew the others had cried some nights, but they mutually avoided the subject.

The worst was that they still did not know where Susan, Peggy, Rodger and Dot were. John had asked Robin and he had promised to alert his men to keep an eye out. However, he warned them that at this point, "Your friends are better off without you. Y'r on the run, boys, and the Sheriff has a mighty long memory."

That was the end of the subject, and it never came up again.

Physically, they all were strained to the breaking point time and time again. Nancy's fingers continually throbbed with the abnormal amount of shooting practice she had been assigned and the strain of making arrows night after night, under the careful eye of Robin himself. Her head swam with images of targets, feathers, sticks and his commands to not hurry the work and aim so much, by the mantle of our Lady! John's arms ached from carrying anything from sacks of flour, deer meat or hide and the inevitable piles and piles of wood. These last were because he had been assigned the band's woodgatherer, having been deemed too unskilled for blacksmithying or repairing/building the huts of the band. It was some consolation that Will Studely gave him daily lessons in advanced swordsmanship in the rough and dirty style of the outlaws, but this just added to the aches and strained muscles. Dick, after much experiment, was deemed small and sickly and set to learn Latin under Friar Tuck's guidance. This led to much good-natured teasing (and some ill-natured) which, however, hurt Dick more than he let on. He also began to play the harp and lute of Allan-a-Dale and learned many songs, which he enjoyed more and gained him many blisters along with the experience.

When asked by Nancy how he could sing so well, it came out that he had been a choir boy and could play the piano very well.

"That's really good! You never told us that you could sing!" Nancy said, smiling, proud of her friend.

He shrugged. "You never asked," he quietly answered, turning away.

John winced. It was true that they had never asked, or really did thing that the D's wanted to do other than sail, explore and make trouble. (that was mostly Nancy!) _How much don't we know about them?_ he wondered, looking after Dick as he walked into a hut to put away the lute.

But Little John called "Hey, John Inventor, when I can cease turnin' th'spit?" and he hurried over to the dinner.

For John was the camp cook now! After dealing with one too many ill-cooked and burnt meals when Robert Widemouth was sick for three days in a row, he had taken charge of a roast of meat, seasoning it with wild onions and salt as best he could. He also toasted the rest of the bread and served it all up that evening with brown ale and the last of that milk instead of that sour wine.

Everyone liked it and Robin announced that they had a new cook! Since then, he and Robert took it turn and turn about to cook for the band and John greatly preferred it to his previous job of gathering wood, which had been delegated to the newest member of the band, a young man outlawed for stealing deer. John gave him a hand sometimes, remembering how hard it had been for him.

He sprinkled salt over the meat carefully, knowing how expensive and hard to get it was. This he had learned the hard way when he had spilled a box of it into the fire once and Robin had been very angry about it. Turning to the other side of the fire, he arranged the drippings tray slightly and gave a careful stir to the pot of boiling parsnips. He stood up, pleased with his work. _I'll try a gravy next time, if I can see Titty soon,_ he mentally noted, considering the amount of dripping he had and how monotonous parsnips were becoming. Robin had told him last night that the lady was coming the next day and to make something 'specially good. He had hopes that this dinner would be that.

Looking about, he saw Friar Tuck and Dick working on an old scroll at the long table. Dick pointed to something and asked a soft question, to which Friar Tuck nodded and answered in the same low tones. John couldn't hear what they were saying but Dick looked studiously happy and the friar was smiling.

Nancy's clear laugh from behind made him turn just in time to see Hugh, Robin's cousin raise his hand to signal the end of his match with Nancy. She had won! John smiled as she shook hands with Hugh and he clapped her on the back.

It looked jolly well like they all had a place here by now. John tested his parsnips, and found them done. He felt good all over as he twirled the spit and sprinkled some onion on the meat.

 _Life is good,_ he reflected as he tipped the water out of the pot and added the drippings, mashing it with a spoon. Mashed parsnips would be out of the ordinary and hopefully new to all—including the Lady Marian!

 _If we only had Titty and Bridget here and knew about the others, or if we were all here, it would be great._

 _And of course, if we knew how we were going to get home._

He pulled a sour face, his good mood gone like a burst bubble.

 _Where where the others?_

There was one person who might know, but...

He set his jaw tight and firmly grasped the spoon. They were his responsibility, after all.

 _I'll ask Marian._

 _Thanks for reading!_


	8. In which an unexpected blow lands

Chapter Eight

As it turned out, Marian was the first to bring the subject up.

After Robin helped her down from her panting horse (sneaking a long kiss during the process, much to the general amusement; Friar Tuck tut-tutted and bustled away) and Little John had walked it away, she immediately came over to John and Nancy, who were setting the table.

"Thy sisters send _written_ tidings, boys, along with other messages. I had not known your family was so learned!" she laughed, handing them a parcel of birch bark tied with rough yarn. "The little one was most insistent for paper and ink!"

John could have gladly thumped his head against the table, but settled for slamming a plate down and clattering the tableware. _Bridget! Why, oh why does she have to talk!_

"We thank you, my, er, lady," Nancy said, receiving the parcel. "How do they? Well, we hope?"

"A little time, and all was well, Nathan Greensleeves." Marian eyed Nancy's grubby green tunic. "The elder, Titty, sends greetings and love to all and says be sure to wash! The little one sends kisses and wants to know when her brother John shall take them back to the island in the lake?" she finished with a question in her voice.

 _Worse and worse!_ John fumed, wondering why Titty had not suppressed the verbose Bridget.

Nancy's eyes widened, but she smoothly replied "Tis but a tale he would tell her, of an island where many a dream would come true. She thinks we went there once before, but it was nought but a vivid dream."

Marian apparently took this at face value, for she smiled and said "Much is made clear by that."

John shot a look full of thanks to Nancy, who smiled back. "Lady Marian, were there, perchance, any other messages our sisters wished to send?" he asked.

"Naught of interest. They both are doing well and are thriving."

Marian turned to Robin, who had come up behind her and had his hands on her shoulders. "Well, lads, back to work! Mustn't keep the lady of the forest!" he said with a wink, turning her away. "Dinner will be ready soon, I hope?" he added, looking right at John.

"Aye sir!" John answered. Nancy tucked the letters into her shirt and walked off to the supply hut.

"I'll get the wine, John, would you get the cups?" she called.

"Sure! Of course, Nancy, what else would I do?" he muttered to himself, feeling more and more sullen. What right had Nancy to steal the letters like that?

John knew he wasn't being fair, but honestly, right now, he could not care less. He slammed the cups onto the table and went back to his cooking. He stalked over to the parsnips, directing his mood towards them as he stirred them harder and harder, splashing it onto his face. The roast seemed to sense his mood as it began to glide off the improvised spit into the fire. In his haste to catch it, he stepped into the salt box and landed on his bottom. The meat continued its gliding. He leaned forward, rescuing it at the cost of five burnt fingers as he had not used the safety rags. A fine English curse ripped out before he could stop it, prompting a bout of giggles from Nancy who had stopped the pouring of wine to watch him. Just then, Tom came up and pulled him to his feet, causing him to spill all the salt once again.

John groaned and wiped his face as Tom walked away with a sympathetic look. Maybe Robin wouldn't notice the salt? There had only been a bit left, but it was the best sort, for the table.

No, that chance was slim at best and at worst would mean a public scolding and extra duty hours. John bit his lip, mad at the world in general and at Nancy, Robin, the meal and Bridget in particular.

Hopefully dinner would go better.

Maybe.

* * *

Robin did find out about the salt, rather quickly in fact. John reflected that he must have some odd desire for the stuff that drove him to locate all sources of it. However, since Marian was there, he was not scolded and escaped with a shaking and a heavy slap from Robin behind a tree.

Rubbing his face, he went off to get another jug of ale, as he and Nancy had been slated to serve at table. Dick hurried past with a little harp and a sheaf of papers, muttering under his breath about transposing and tuning something or other. John supposed that Dick was going to help Allan-a-Dale with the entertainment.

With a sour look, he grabbed the heavy jug from the creek and hefted it to his shoulder. At one point, he had thought Dick to a bit of a muff, and pitied him, rather unfairly in retrospect. Now part of him envied Dick's clever mind and weaker arms. _He_ was never called on to wait at table or haul loads any more!

"Ho-la, John Inventor! Robin says we may eat now," Nancy called across the little glen. She had just come out of the pantry tent and a teetering stack of plates, bowls, two baskets and a little jug swayed in her arms. "Why so glum?"

"Tired," John said, setting down his jug. "Do they need this?"

"Mayhap. Might as well take it over there. I'll set dinner up by the twisted oak," Nancy said, catching a cup with her left hand. "Do grab some meat and Dick for us, would you?"

"Sure, Nance."

John wearily trudged up to the table, slipped the jug on it, and walked away. No one acknowledged him; he had not expected it. Most of them would be roaring drunk before long.

Dick had already nabbed a spot at the table, squeezed between Allan-a-Dale and Walt the Wit and was eating whatever he could get his hands on. John felt more than justified to leave him there.

When he got to the twisted oak, (juggling a goodly slice of venison) Nancy had set three plate out and was filling the last of the cups with—wine?

"Where's Dick?" she asked.

"Eating at the table, the sneak," John answered sourly, plumping the meat down. "Robin better not find out you nabbed some wine."

Nancy raised her eyebrows, but passed him his plate with a hearty chunk of meat.

"Do you want to read the letters while we eat?" she said.

John nodded, his mouth full of venison. Nancy passed him the bundle of letters. The string was untied.

"Most are addressed to you. I took mine and Dick's out of the stack."

"Thanks, Nathan." John swiped his hands on the grass and plucked the top piece of bark off the stack. It was not folded in any way, and simply said "To John, 8". He turned it over and began to read Titty's handwriting.

 _Dear John,_

 _We have found Susan, Rodger, Peggy and Dot! Peggy and Dot are working for the Sheriff as housemaids. So is Roger. We ran into them during market. They seem to be doing quite well. Roger has become a jester!_

John chuckled to himself, his bad temper easing. That was such a Roger thing to do.

 _But, John, I'm afraid I can't break this in any other way._ _Besides, you should know this sooner rather than later._

What was Titty talking about? The light was fading, making it harder to read the faint, smudgey writing.

 _Susan is very ill. Is there any way you could make it to Nottingham? We're scared for her._

He dropped his cup, ignoring the wine puddle on his hose as he read the words over and over again.

 _Susan is very ill—Susan is very ill—Susan is very ill—_

* * *

 _A/N The potato mix-up in the last chapter is fixed as well. Thank you constantlearner for pointing it out!_

 _Constructive critique is always appreciated. :)_


	9. Why does no one care? (John)

"John! John, are you all right?"

Someone was shaking him. Nancy's face loomed into view. "John, what's going on? Are you just tired or is it bad news?"

"Susan. She's sick. Titty says they're frightened." John got up slowly.

"How bad is it?"

"Bad. Titty wants to know if I—we, I expect—can get over to Nottingham. But I'm already in hot water with Will over leaving the swords out in the _rain_ and with Robin over the dammed _salt_." John began to pace about, trying to contain himself. "He won't let us go without at least strong words about it and probably he won't let us go at _all_."

Nancy's eyes gleamed. "Then, we'll have to sneak out."

This sounded like a very bad idea to John. He had heard all about the Ds' sneaking in on Nancy's idea into Captain's Flint's study and knew that a second or three could have meant the difference between a lot of trouble and their success. He did not want their collective lives to roll on a similar scheme, especially as it would not mean just trouble, but their food and homes, of a sort. But what were the options?

"Wandering Jack would be the easiest to get past, if Robin ever posts him again, that is," Nancy said reflectively. "Jacob might work as well, but it'd have to be a moonless night at the very least. I wouldn't chance it on the others, unless we can get one of them 'round to our side with the story. Little John or Martin might hear either of us out. I could talk to Hugh, but he's not very high up..." Her voice trailed off as she tapped her lip.

"What's the matter, John, Nathan?" Dick had ambled up sometime in his own disconcerting way and John looked up into his round, worried face. "I thought everything was going well...?"

"Susan's sick and Titty's scared. They want us to somehow get to Nottingham and John thinks Robin won't let us." Nancy spared John the trouble of answering.

"Why not?"

"Salt, rust, the burnt parsnips last sen'night, ripped clothes, we've only been around ten or so days and the fact that someone knows our faces as outlaws' faces." Nancy shrugged.

John knew of several other reasons, but now did not seem like a good time to bring up the fact that Nancy had nicked three swords, providing Wandering Jack with a day's work fixing them, and Dick had fallen into the brook and spoiled Allan's new red coat, turning pink in the process. No one really knew that they had taken the wine for dinner as well, not to mention that he himself had overheard a conversation he shouldn't have. Also he and Nance had reputations now. Dick's wasn't too bad, but Nance had gained herself a risky reputation among the men, a fact which Robin did not like.

"Is there any other way we could get into Nottingham? Some fair or festival or market day? Some of the men go each time to get stuff that we need and I've been once already," Dick said, plucking at a small harp.

"Dick, would you stop that? And when did you get to go, lucky?" Nancy asked.

"Five days ago. Friar Tuck told Robin that I hadn't been seen and that it would be good for me. I think he likes me."

"But that was before Derwynt got caught two days ago. Robin won't let anyone go to town for at least a fortnight now, Walt says, even though Derwynt got back safely" John said, slumping back down. _Why does Dick get all the luck?_

"Well, there's always my plan," Nancy said

To which John said "No!" and Dick said "What?" in the same tone of voice.

"Dick, it's just another plan along the lines of that little run-in you had with her aunt." John said. "We don't need that to happen again."

"Ah. Well, did you read the rest of the letters?" Dick asked.

"No..."

"You should read the most recent one. Susan might be better. Dot never said anything about her in the three letters I got and they might have been more recent." Dick sat down. "I can help you go through the letters if you like..."

John was already ruffling through the stack. "Here, Dick, thanks." He tossed a few over to him.

Bridget loosing a tooth, Titty's promotion from kitchen maid to Marian's maid, troubles of the new life, worries about them, (this was a bit Susan-ish, John thought) going to a fair, Bridget talking about an automobile (he decided to come back to that one later), Titty wrapping the house about her fingers with her stories, love to all of them, was there anything else she had written about?

No.

"John, I can't see anything else about them in these," Dick said, passing them back.

John groaned out loud. "Ugggh!"

"You lads need a bit of help here?

It was Friar Tuck, peering through the bushes. Nancy frowned and John inwardly sighed, but Dick's face lit up.

"Friar Tuck, is there any chance Robin would let us off to go to the next fair? John's sister is taken ill, and she asks for at least him, if not all of us."

"Well, lad-o, I know I could get _you_ off for another day. Might be rather harder for your kin," he answered, coming up. "Would that be enough?"

John looked up. "Could we just...ask?" he asked desperately. "I don't know what else to do!"

"Now, now, let's not get all worried about this. Did she date her letters, son?"

"No!"

John was very worked up by now, Nancy reflected as he brushed the friar's hand away and began to pace about. "Well...maybe just John and Dick?" she asked.

Friar Tuck tut-tutted and patted her arm. "I'll work on it, laddie. But it might help if you reined thy temper in and endeavored to control your actions."

Nancy looked at John and rolled her eyes comically, trying to raise a smile as Friar Tuck visibly thought. It didn't work.

The friar hauled himself to his feet with his jolly grin. "Well, this isn't a bad time to ask th'master, Dick, my lad-o. Would you come with me and see if we can catch us a Robin?"

Nancy laughed and Dick bounced on his toes. "Yes indeed!"

John raised his eyebrows and followed them, doggedly trying to tune out Dick's questions about Latin verbs and feeling as if no one cared.

* * *

After skirting around the table and the drunks at it (Allen was singing horribly, Tom was dancing and Will Scarlet along with Bart roared along in something that they probably thought was harmony), John's anger had simmered down into a splitting headache and a dull sort of feeling about the whole situation. What could they do, anyway?

Dick dodged Robert's attempts to pull him towards the table as they continued out of the dinning glen. "And why do we still use the archaic verb forms at all, Friar Tuck?"

 _Great galumphing goats, is he STILL on Latin?_

"Why don't y—we move to writing the good English, anyway?" Nancy asked.

"Because Latin is the language of scholars and thinkers, Greensleeves, and gives them the abilities to obtain the learnings of the sages. Now, about those verbs, Dick. You have shown..."

John shook his heard and promptly tripped over a sleeping Stutely. "Wuzzat?" he muttered, grabbing at John's feet.

"You all right, John?" Nancy asked.

"No." John stepped on Stutely's hand and kept going.

Nancy moved closer. "You know, that's not going to help. We're going as fast as we can."

He sighed.

Nancy patted him. "We'll be fine."

Past the sleeping tents, the targets, where was Robin?

Ah! Music floated down the breeze to them. "He's dancing with the Lady Marian," Friar Tuck said. "That's good."

They cut across to the creek and came upon Little John playing a recorder and Robin and Marian dancing in the moonlight. "Best wait here, lads. She'll have to go soon, but we need her on our side," the friar whispered. "Don't disturb them."

The dance seemed to go on forever, but at last Little John trilled a last note and the two dancers broke apart with a bow and a curtsy.

"Friar Tuck! What brings you here?" Robin called, waving them over.

"Well, Robin, the young lads have a bit of the bad news that they need to ask you about and I thought that maybe you'd give them a listen for me."

"Ah?"

Friar Tuck waddled closer. "Come, come."

The three huddled together. John bit his thumb. Could they possibly make it work?

Robin shook his head and began to turn away. _Oh no!_

Nancy poked him. Marian was pulling at his hand and whispering in his ear! And Friar Tuck was wagging his fingers in a most determined fashion. It looked like it still might work…

Robin threw up his hands. "Fine! But if anything should happen..."

"Robin, what could possibly happen?" Marian asked, taking his arm and walking towards them. "They just want to see their sister. Surely you can understand."

"And, and I'll be right with them. It will all be well."

Robin sighed loudly. "Very well. You have my word."


	10. In Which Dick's Mind Whirls

Chapter Ten: In Which Dick's Mind Whirls and a stupid plan is made.

* * *

However, Robin's word wasn't quite enough to get them out of there. In fact, it didn't look (to John) like it was _any_ help at all.

Little John did _not_ want anyone to go into town the next market day, and neither did Will Scarlet. Both cited the fact that Derwynt had just got captured and he was much more wily than them. Friar Tuck had left the next day, leaving them with no backup except Hugh (not much good as _he_ had almost gotten himself killed on his first trip back to town and Robin was a worry-wart about his relatives), Stutely (not enough with both other right-hand men against him) and a reluctant Robin, who took out his frustration on John, thereby making John even more frantic and careless. The rest of the men prudently stayed out of it, but did try to help John out on the sly. He just chose not to notice it, Nancy saw. Lady Marian wasn't due back for another visit for the next couple of weeks, during which, (again, on Derwynt's account) the camp seemed like it was going to stay on lockdown. Even Dick and Wes began to be annoyed by the poor fellow's name, as the other men would rag and complain about it to him. Seeing as (by common consent) Wes and Dick were the most oblivious of the lot, this meant it was getting bad.

John spent the next three days in a ferment of boiling emotions and sullen resentment, which took his mind away from his work. Nancy picked up as much of his slack as she could, but that didn't help with the frequent cuff and cross admonitions that he would receive for his moods. Dick got stuck on woodgathering duty with his mentors both gone (Allan was visiting his lady-love) and soon went back to the old blisters, bruises and bumps routine. There was only so much an increasingly irate Nancy could do to pick up after both of them, not blow off at someone (yes, thank you, _I do listen—_ sometimes) and finish her own work.

Soon, (about the fourth day) Dick came to the conclusion (while gathering kindling sticks about half a mile from the camp) that John was about to explode and Nancy would follow. They had been sniping at each other all early morning and the men were getting cross with them. In the nature of things, therefore, and given their record, time was running out.

He paused in the middle of tying up his bundle to consider it further. The logical thing to do was to get them to Susan as quick as they could.

The knot slipped and the sticks tumbled about. He put his hand up to his chin and ignored the mess. If the proper and right channels did not work out, a stream always found another way, especially if it was increasing in pressure. The thing to do was to open a new, directed channel before it overflowed the banks, making a mess.

Suddenly, his brain started whirling as it had only a few times before, thoughts and trains of thoughts pouring into a great, complex series of deductions.

Hugh was on watch.

Robin was hunting deer with Will Scarlet.

Stutely was on their side.

He was in charge.

Little John was on the West Road, waiting for the bishop who was to arrive that night.

They all would be home late, or not at all until the wee hours of the morning.

The bishop meant a party at the Nottingham Castle.

That meant the market was open and busy.

The servant girls would be out and about.

Lady Marian's girls must come into town to get things that they needed.

This was a slow day in camp.

Most of the men were taking it easy.

They would want the lads out of their hair so they could talk about women and wine and so on.

Camp had enough wood for the night.

And water.

There wasn't going to be a formal dinner.

So chores were taken care of.

There were a few horses in camp that would always come back to the men.

Friar Tuck had shown him the short cut to the village, only ten miles away.

They could 'disappear' if Hugh and someone covered a bit for them and they went 'for a long walk' to 'talk sense into him'.

 _Why not?_

Dick got to his feet, left the sticks, and pelted back to camp as if the Sheriff himself was on his tail.

* * *

Naturally, John was all for it at this point in time and after the barest bones of the plot were laid out to him, looked at the sky, said "It's only about half-past nine" and ran off, presumably packing a lunch. However, Nancy (surprisingly) kicked the grass and looked doubting.

"Were you going to tell the whole story to anyone?" she asked.

Dick fidgeted and drew out his words slowly. "Well, maybe Hugh and Stutely...and Allan and Friar Tuck if they were around...but it's not like they _need_ to know for us to slip away during the day...and they could say no and start watching us..."

He brightened up. "And Nan and Bet are really old and no one cares if we ride them. Ken was just talking about how he wishes they would hurry up and die so he doesn't have to gather any more food for them. And they're already out for pasture in that one glen and I don't think anyone is watching those two...the others, yes, but not the mules!"

Nancy still didn't look entirely convinced, but John came hurrying over at that point, a bag and a bottle in his arms. "Look, I got the lunch and told Wes and Nathan that we were going on a picnic that was your idea, Dick and you were trying to cheer me up. I also said we didn't know how long we would be gone, and was that all right? Nathan said that it was fine, just don't get lost."

Dick looked hopefully at Nancy. She broke into her flashing grin. "Looks like we're set, then, don't it?" She grabbed her cloak off the wash line and clasped it on. Dick ducked into his sleeping tent and came out with his satchel. She threw his cloak at him and handed John his as she headed over to get her bow.

"We'd better start walking. It's a long way away," John said, swinging the lunch onto his shoulder and checking the pouch that never left his belt.

"Oh, but we're riding," Nancy answered cheekily, settling her quiver and handing a short blade to John. "Off we go!"

They headed out of the camp at a brisk walk. Martin and Tom looked lazily at them from the watch trees and Tom waved, but they had no problems leaving.

It was only a mile to the pasture and they made good time, the long hours of walks past serving them well. Kevin let them have old Nan and Bet, with halters, one old saddle and a few blankets. "Have a good time, lads. You need it, what with Captain Robin so cross and all, and nought of interest happening. These two will always bring you home," he slapped Nan's rump, "and there's nought in the good green wood that would harm you, except men."

John took all the bags and swung up onto the saddle. Nancy jumped up lightly onto the blankets on Bet's back, leaving Dick to scramble up behind.

"Thank you so much, Kevin!" she called as John guided Nan out of the glen.

"God's blessings go with you!" he called to her.

"And we will need them!" John muttered.


	11. In which things go to pot

Things had _started_ well.

They had made it to the gates at about half past twelve o'clock. Dick had remembered the pathway well and they came in on the main road. The mules were slow, but that was to be expected. The day was fine, with a little breeze blowing as they came onto the proper roads and the birds all sang in the trees. Riding beat walking, and John had been much more cheerful now that they were on route to the problems.

The story that they were from York worked as well at the gates as it had two weeks ago (it probably helped that they all were shoeless, Nancy having convinced Dick to get off his before the gate) and they were soon in the bustling square. More people swirled about than they had seen in weeks, music filled the air, and a lively dance filled the middle of the square. It looked like one of the old woodcut pictures had come alive, and even Dick's eyes sparked with excitement…

...until they were almost ridden down by a pretentious person in blue on the back of a fine horse.

Nancy grabbed Dick's tunic to pull him back out of the way, but let go of Bet's halter in the process. The mule reared and Nan brayed encouragement. John tried to get a hold of Bet, but she shook him off and began to sniff a soapmaker's stall. Nancy dropped her hold on Dick and lunged at the mule, bumping down a display of cloth, which landed on John's head. The shopkeepers began to yell as John threw the cloth about and as the mule backed up over a yellow piece of fabric with _soap_ in her (Dick's eyes lit up as he realized that, despite their names, the mules were probably males) mouth.

John extracted himself from the fabric and slapped it on the table. The portly woman continued her tirade, which he could now hear "and if some boy doesn't know how to control his beast and take it over to the hitching post, they ought not come to market!"

Meanwhile, Nancy got the soap away from Bet and pulled Dick with her. "Come on, John! We need to water these beasts!" she called.

John hurried away, the yells of the woman following him. The hassled look returned to his face as he caught up with the others.

"There!" Nancy snapped, pointing to a large hitching place. "Let's give our beasts a rest."

The mules tried to pick a fight right away with a couple of donkeys when John began to tie them up. Nancy jerked Dick away from the hooves of one of the donkeys and hurried to Bet's head, trying to quiet her down.

"Best give the nags some food, laddie. A copper for a sack?"

A young man pushed through a chattering knot of men and offered Nancy a small sack of hay.

"Umm...John?" she called over the donkeys.

"No, thank you sir, the nags had a feed and rest today already," John came over, dusting off his hands. "But if you could show us to a well, that would be appreciated."

"Right around the food stalls, master." The man ducked away and began to hawk his goods to the others who were hitching up their beasts.

Nancy looked at John. "Shall we?"

"I don't even know where to start!" he hissed back, checking his pouch again.

"Perhaps we should just...walk about?" Dick muttered. "People are beginning to look at us..."

Nancy nodded. "Maybe that's best. We have about three hours."

John shook his head, but allowed his friends to pull him away.

They walked through the food stalls first, buying a plate of fat dumplings for a copper, leaving them with some small change from the littlest of the silver pieces. Dick waxed happier with each mouthful and began to look about him with bright eyes, paying especial attention to the musicians as they came into the square. Nancy's eyes gleamed as she saw a wrestling match in the street and shops selling fletched arrows. She even walked over to one and examined a quiver full. John was the odd one out, searching and searching for a familiar face in all those about him, ignoring even the sharping men with their loud, screechy stones.

They skirted around the center of the square, dodging the dancers and various entertainers. On the other side, the castle loomed above the potters' and blacksmith stalls. Dick stopped to look at a bookseller's stall and Nancy wanted to test the sharpness of some of the blades, and betwixt themselves, they made John wait for them, right under the eves of the Sheriff's house. This did not please him, but Nancy pointed out that it would be just as good a place to watch for the others as any, and he found himself making do as the minutes ticked by. Neither of his companions looked like they wanted to leave at all, and he found himself slumping down out of the way, facing the square.

As he watched the lively dancers, his eye landed on a lass that looked familiar. Scowling against the sunlight, he shaded his eyes and looked for her again. There! Two brown braids, framing a worried round face, with long eyelashes and a dreamy look in her eyes….

"Dot! DOT!" he yelled, pushing his way into the square as the music stopped and the girls were swung into the air by their lusty partners. "Dot! Answer me!"

She turned in midair, braids waving and her eyes landed on him, widening with—what? "John! John, I'm coming!" she called back, bobbing to her partner. "Stay there!"

John stopped, scanning the other dancers to see if Peggy or Titty were also there. Nancy, having heard him, came pushing over to stand by him.

"Is it her?" she asked.

"Yes. She looks like she's having some trouble..."

For Dot's partner had his hands about her waist and was apparently trying to keep her for the next dance, despite her shaking her head and attempts to pry him off. John's face darkened and Nancy bit her lip.

"Should we do something?" she asked as the man began to turn red.

"You go get Dick. I'm going to get Dot. Good lack, you'd think the D's would _learn..._ " John muttered, taking off into the crowd with sharp elbows and quick movements, disrupting the dancers, some of whom began to cuff him as he passed. After almost landing in the bosom of a plump lady in red, he pushed away right into Dot.

"Dot, you're coming with me," he said shortly, grabbing her wrist away from the oafish man in front of her. "I've been looking for you all over and you are coming home _now."_

Dot whimpered as the other man pulled her closer to himself. "Ah, my young cockerel, just _who_ do you think you are?"

John took a jump in the dark. "Her brother. And you'd better _let her go._ " He gathered Dot under his arm as the man slowly let her wrist slip out of his hand. Dot reeled back and clung to John, breathing hard.

"Oh, really, now, youngster…and do you think you can take me on?" He leered unpleasantly at John as he drew a long knife.

" _Run_ Dot! Nathan, get them out of here!" John yelled, pushing Dot away from him and ducking as the knife swept down.

All Nancy could remember of that was a massive brawl in the middle of the square as she darted in to grab a shaking Dot away from it. Dick was almost trampled to the ground by fleeing girls before she could get back to him. They huddled together on the outskirts, too shell-shocked to do anything else. Dot was crying and Dick had her in his arms, patting her hair. Nancy stood in front of them, her eyes searching for John in the heaving mass of men, wondering what to do. Should they just make a run for it and tell Robin everything?

Suddenly, a clear trumpet sounded as five men pelted into the square on horseback, trying to break up the fight. The men cleared away and John and the other man came into view. The man had a large knot on his head and John's arm dripped blood onto the pavement as he grasped the sleeve of his tunic about it. Nancy gasped and started forward, but someone else dragged her back.

"There's nought you can do now, lad. Let the bailiffs figure them out."

There seemed to be a lot of shouting and arguing as the five men tried to figure out what had happened. As far as Nancy could make out, the first man was trying to pin the blame on John, who wasn't saying much of anything. He looked dizzy and swayed as he stood.

Another man pushed his way up to them. "That's the boy! That's one of Robin Hood's men!" he shouted loudly. "I tell you, I know him! That's the boy that just joined him a fortnight ago!"

The square erupted into motion again, as the bailiffs grabbed John and began to hustle him away. Nancy's eyes filled with tears as they entered the castle and the gates shut with a deep thud.

They would have to tell Robin everything.


End file.
